Matheesha Pathirana’s IPL 2026 availability cloud may not be as heavy as it looked just a few weeks ago. The Sri Lankan pace bowler has started bowling again in the nets, and that has given Kolkata Knight Riders hope that their ₹18 crore acquisition could still play a role later in the season.
Pathirana returns to the nets—progress, not a guarantee
For KKR, the development is important because it shifts the conversation from speculation to something more tangible. Pathirana has been seen working at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, though he has not yet bowled at full pace. Even so, it represents a visible step forward in a season where the main challenge around him has been availability.
Crucially, the update does not suggest that he is immediately match-ready. He is still in the build-up stage, and the fact that he is not operating at full speed reinforces that he is working his way back gradually.
That said, this is not a typical “wait and see” injury note for a franchise. Pathirana is not the kind of player you can easily replace with a like-for-like option. He is the sort of death-overs specialist who can quickly change how a bowling unit is planned, adjust overseas combinations, and raise a team’s ceiling once he is fit enough to be used effectively.
Why KKR’s optimism feels different
The tone around Pathirana is notably more positive than a standard recovery update because KKR’s confidence is tied to more than just getting him back in time. The bigger question is what his presence could unlock for the side during the sharper part of the IPL calendar.
- KKR are encouraged by the fact that Pathirana is actively progressing on-field, even if full readiness is still some way off.
- His role is significant enough that even a partial return could alter the balance and structure of Kolkata’s attack.
- In a campaign where multiple injury stories can stall for long stretches, any clear movement in his recovery provides something concrete for the team to plan around.
Hasaranga’s delay highlights the contrast with Lucknow
While Pathirana’s situation is showing at least one encouraging sign, Wanindu Hasaranga’s IPL 2026 picture remains stuck in uncertainty. Lucknow Super Giants signed him for his base price of ₹2 crore, but he has neither reported to the franchise nor provided any indication of when he might arrive.
Hasaranga has also not yet completed the fitness test that Sri Lanka Cricket requires before an IPL NOC can be issued. The latest information from Colombo is that he took part in a batting session late last week, but did not bowl during that work.
His timeline has been complicated by injury. Hasaranga has been sidelined for nearly two months due to a tear in his left hamstring, and he has not played since Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup opener against Ireland on February 8. As a result, Lucknow are still waiting for signs that he is close to clearing the final stages of his return.
- LSG bought Hasaranga for ₹2 crore, but he has not joined the franchise setup yet.
- He has not completed the Sri Lanka Cricket fitness test needed for an IPL NOC.
- He bowled nothing in his latest update, with the work limited to batting late last week.
- He has been out for almost two months with a left hamstring tear and last played on February 8 against Ireland.
Lucknow look at the replacement pool as KKR holds on to hope
With Hasaranga’s return timeline still unclear, Lucknow are now exploring options from the replacement pool. Names reported as available include Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammad Nabi, Liam Dawson, and Rehan Ahmed.
For the moment, the main takeaway lands with KKR. Pathirana is not back yet, but he is moving in the right direction—an important distinction in a tournament where many fitness stories can remain frozen for weeks. For Kolkata, that progress alone is something meaningful to build on.
